BELDING — The condition of the pedestrian hit by a car Thursday afternoon in Belding has been upgraded from critical to serious, Belding Police Chief Dale Nelson said.

The pedestrian is a junior at Belding High School. His name has not been released at the family's request, said Nelson.

The victim was practicing with his cross-country team, which was returning to the high school. The runners were westbound on the eastbound shoulder of East State Street (M-44) near Ionia Street, when the victim allegedly cut across M-44 into the eastbound lane, and was struck by an SUV about 4:20 p.m.

He was taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids by Life Ambulance, and then transferred to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

"The junior class, in support of him, all wore his favorite color of blue to school today, and they are doing the same thing for homecoming tonight," Nelson said Friday.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Belding branch of Independent Bank has set up a fund for the victim.